The Simplicity of Happiness free essay sample

Happiness can occur at the simplest of times. Unintentional and unpredictable, these moments have the longevity of a butterfly. It is not in the â€Å"during,† but the â€Å"after† where the realization actually hits: I have just experienced the joy of happiness. I achieved this realization when I cleared my throat, and its raspiness suddenly reminded me of the wonderful, ephemeral event taking place just moments ago. â€Å"What’s so funny?† my friends wanted to know as we all sat down at our lunch table. I tried to explain through a series of uncontrollable laughter, but nothing comprehensible came out. However, because my laugh was so contagious, my friends eventually joined in. Soon, we were all laughing, our heads bouncing like a bunch of ridiculous bobble heads. We laughedcrazily, stupidlywith absolutely no purpose, at absolutely nothing. Somewhere in the middle of our laughing session, the bell rang, bringing an abrupt halt to the highlight of my da y. We will write a custom essay sample on The Simplicity of Happiness or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This seemingly insignificant event enhanced not only the quality of my day, but also my well-being. It cleansed my soul and filled it with positive thoughts. Perhaps happiness is like a phoenix. The moment dies, but its flame lingers on, and eventually sparks another instant of happiness. Even though lunch is over, my newfound optimism lives on as I experience my next moment of happiness. My memories of happiness may be simple, but their impacts are profound. They build inside me a driving force that enables me to conquer the many challenges that I face in life.

How To Choose Building Plans - 10 Steps to Your Dream Home

How To Choose Building Plans - 10 Steps to Your Dream Home Whether you are building a new house or remodeling an older home, youll need plans to guide you through the project. Here are some tips to help you choose the best building plans for your needs. How to Choose the Right Building Plan Create a Spreadsheet of Needs. Talk with your family. Discuss what each of you wants. What are your needs now and what will your familys needs be in the future? Should you plan for future aging in place? Write it down.Observe. Look at how you live and where you spend most of your time in your house or apartment. Why spend the time and money to build or remodel? If its just because you like change, maybe no building plan will satisfy.Reflect on homes you have visited. What features did you especially enjoy? Look at the way other people live. Is that lifestyle really what you want?Consider the features of your land. Where is the sunlight best? Which direction offers the greatest views and the cooling breezes? Could remodeling capture a piece of nature overlooked by builders of another time?Select exterior finishing details with care. Know if youll be building in an historic district, which may restrict exterior modifications.Browse through building plan catalogs for ideas. You dont hav e to buy stock plans, but these books can help you visualize possibilities. Public libraries may have these popular books on their shelves. Use the webs search function offered by online directories of building plans. Houses from sites like Houseplans.com have often been designed as custom homes before being offered as stock plans. Some plans are specs (speculative) and many are often more interesting than plain vanilla catalog plans.Select a floor plan that most closely matches your ideal. Do you need adaptability? Perhaps you should consider a house without walls. Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban designed Naked House (2000) with movable interior modules - a unique solution that you wont find in a house plan catalog.Estimate your building costs. Your budget will determine many choices you make in the design of your home.Consider hiring an architect to personalize your building plan, or to create a custom design. What Comes First, the House or the Site? Architect William J. Hirsch, Jr. writes, Its a good idea to have a basic concept of what kind of house you want before selecting a site because the type of house will dictate to some extent the nature of the site that makes the most sense for you. Likewise, if you have your heart set on the land first, the house design should fit the site. It might take four months to build a house, but the planning could take years. Additional Tips Choose your floor plan first and your exterior faà §ade second. Most plans can be finished in nearly any architectural style.Its usually best to purchase your land before you select your building plan. The land establishes the amount of area and the type of terrain you have to build on. To build an energy-efficient structure, try to follow the sun as it crosses your lot. Pre-purchasing the land also helps you budget the rest of your project.Be sure to budget for landscaping and finishing touches.Listen actively. Reflect back what you hear when you talk with family members. You might be surprised to find out that your children or in-laws plan to live with you. Do You Have the Confidence? Jack Nicklaus (b. 1940) has been called the greatest professional golfer of all time. So, what does he know about design? Plenty. Nicklaus is said to have had an interesting strategy when he played profession sports - he competed against the golf course instead of other players. Nicklaus knew the ins and outs of all the courses he played - he figured out what he liked and what he didnt like about golf course design. And then, he formed a company. Nicklaus Design promotes itself as the worlds leading design firm. You have lived in the spaces chosen by your parents. Now its your turn to decide. Source Hirsch, William J. Designing Your Perfect House: Lessons from an Architect. Dalsimer Press, 2008, p. 121